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Location, location, location..

I am not sure why I am always surprised to see that the all time top read post here is the one about avoiding the antecubital fossa when starting a peripheral IV….“Just say No”

Ok, so I am really grateful that many are reading my blog but I am also a bit concerned that perhaps people are still on the fence about not using the antecubital fossa for an peripheral IV start.

Location, location, location… my stand is still the same as what I have posted and I would still strongly recommend to avoid using an area of flexion like the antecubital fossa and if you have to, remember to think about what you will be infusing into that vein, the possible consequences and remove as soon as possible. Remember, if an IV site in the antecubital fossa infiltrates, that will limit the use of the veins below. If extravasation occurs, there’s potential for more serious complications.